Title: Everything I Shouldn’t (Nashville Nights #2)
Author: Stacey Mosteller
Genre: Contemporary/NA Romance
Release Date: June 26, 2014
Everything I Shouldn’t
It’s been eight days, sixteen hours and forty-seven minutes since life as I know it ended. I know, it sounds so melodramatic and teen-soap worthy, but it’s the truth. Eight days, sixteen hours and forty-seven minutes since David found out. Since he kicked Jeremy out, ended their friendship and told me I could never see him again.
I didn’t plan on David getting suspicious, and I definitely didn’t plan on getting caught. My selfishness has cost Jeremy everything, my brother won’t even look at me, Lyric must hate me for practically blackmailing her to keep silent and my best friend is barely speaking to me.
Now my life is full of secrets and lies. The people around me have been affected by the choices I’ve made and the lies I’ve told. But what will they do when they discover the biggest secret of them all?
Jeremy is everything I shouldn't want, and the person I can't live without.
Excerpts
Excerpt #1
Leaning in close, making sure to keep eye contact with him, I growl, "You better bring her straight home after prom. I was your age not that long ago, and the last thing you're going to do is take SarahBeth to an unsupervised prom after party. She better come home in the same condition I'm sending her with you in. You get me?"
"Y-y-y-yes sir," Jordan stammers, clearly flustered. "I'll bring her right home, I promise."
I smile evilly, "Good. Thank you Jordan. I knew I could count on you."
Our conversation finishes just in time for SB to start down the stairs to meet us. As she reaches the bottom, I'm pretty sure Jordan and I have the same dumbstruck expression on our faces. In addition to the way her body looks in that pink dress, she’s curled her hair and put makeup on. She looks like an angel and my heart is beating double time in my chest. When SB sees Jordan, her entire face lights up, and my hands tighten into fists at my sides. Jealousy isn’t an emotion I’m familiar with, and it’s fucking with my head. The only thought going through my mind right now is that she shouldn't be looking at him that way, it should be me. I’m the only one she’s ever looked at that way. I feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind lately, all I can think about is this tiny slip of a girl who isn’t even eighteen.
Jesus Christ. I need to hold it together, but I have no idea how to do that. She is seventeen-fucking-years-old, and I’m twenty-eight. If it were anyone else having thoughts like this about her, I'd beat the ever-loving shit out of them, yet here I am thinking things that no man should think about someone her age. It’s making me crazy. I am only human, but the emotions I feel whenever I think about her, see her, smell her, make me the worst kind of bastard.
Excerpt #2
Mel’s eyes narrow and she stalks over towards her. “I hope you’re happy,” she says, pointing a finger at SB’s chest.
SB stops dead in the middle of the room and her eyes widen when she sees Mel’s tear-stained face. “Um, I’m sorry?” She looks between us both, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on?” Mel laughs, but it’s humorless. “You want to know what’s going on? That’s rich. I was hoping you could tell me!” Her voice rises as she speaks, and she looks a little scary. I can’t blame SarahBeth for moving away from her slowly. It doesn’t stop Mel though, she just follows her as she rages. “We’ve been together for three years, and suddenly, he tells me that we can’t be together any longer.” I didn’t think it was possible, but SarahBeth’s eyes get even wider. “I can’t help but think that it has something to do with you, SarahBeth.”
“I…I….” SarahBeth stutters, completely stunned. The bags she was carrying when she walked into the room have long since fallen to the floor as she tries to process what’s going on here.
She looks to me for guidance and I shake my head before returning my attention to Mel. “Melanie, this has nothing to do with SarahBeth. I told you, I just don’t want to be in a relationship right now.” The excuse sounds lame even to my ears so I’m fairly certain that Melanie won’t buy it either.
“Right, Jeremy. Nothing at all to do with her, huh?” Her eyes narrow as she holds my gaze, but I won’t be the first to crack. I stare silently back at her, unwilling to acknowledge her concerns, until finally she huffs and turns away. “Whatever. I’m sure as hell not going to stand here and argue with you about it. I have more self-respect for myself than that.” Then, turning to SarahBeth, she says, “If there truly isn’t anything going on here, then I’m sorry for bringing you into our argument. Somehow though, I really doubt that that’s the case.” With those words, she gives me one last glare before leaving the room and slamming the front door behind her.
Excerpt #3
“Wyatt,” she spits out, cutting me off. Yeah, I know his name, but I like getting her all riled up. “And jealous? Of what? You and the tramp hanging all over you? As you pointed out, I’m here with my own date. I don’t need to cry about you picking up some stranger in a bar Jeremy!” She’s the picture of irritation right now, and it’s taking everything I have not to laugh at her. She’s so indignant and trying so hard to mask her emotions. Unfortunately, I know exactly what she’s feeling because I’m suffering from the same thing.
I stalk over, standing toe to toe with her, knowing that the fact that I'm a foot taller than is going to be intimidating and knock her off her game. Dropping my face close to her ear, I murmur, “I know you’re jealous, Little Bit. Know how I know?” She shakes her head infinitesimally and I lean in even closer to tell her, “Because I am too.”
SarahBeth sucks in a breath, stiffening at my words. Straightening to my full height, I look down at her, waiting for her to look back up at me. When she does, I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. Her eyes are wet, and I can’t stop myself from cupping her cheeks in my hand and brushing off the single tear that’s trailing down her cheek. There’s just something about this girl that draws me to her, even though I know I should stay away.
I lower my head, my intent clear, waiting for her to tell me no like she did earlier. Instead, she leans further up on her tiptoes, quite the feat considering how tall her heels already are, and presses her lips to mine. This. This is what I’ve been missing for months. I’ve kissed a lot of women since I broke up with Melanie, but I’ve never felt this with any of them. If I’m honest, I’ve never felt this with anyone but SarahBeth.
Before I even realize that I’m doing it, my hands run down her throat, then her shoulders and her arms before finally grasping her waist and lifting her so she can put her legs around mine. She immediately does, locking her ankles right above my ass. Turning, push her up against the wall at the same time I push my tongue fully into her mouth. Her hands move up to grip my hair and I press her harder into the wall at the feeling of her small hands tugging on my hair.
I shouldn’t be doing this, I shouldn’t be taking advantage of her this way, but in the back of my head I know I’m not. She kissed me, not the other way around. And even though I was going to kiss her, the fact that she went the remaining distance means that she wants it just as much as I do. Letting go of her mouth, I kiss a trail across her jaw and listen to her breathing stutter. When I make it to a spot behind her ear, her entire body shivers and I smile against her skin.
“Do you like that, Little Bit?” I ask, my voice rough with arousal as I lick a trail down to where her throat meets her shoulder and bite down gently.
She gasps out, “Y….y…yes!” before a breathy moan escapes her lips and her entire body shivers.
Pressing her into the wall once more, I can feel the heat of her against my cock and I want nothing more than to sink inside her. Sliding my hands up from her waist to just under her breasts, I wait for her to make a decision. When my thumbs brush the undersides of her breasts she arches her back. I cover each one with my hand, pinching her nipple lightly between two fingers as she presses even further into me. God, I love feeling her against me.
I cover her mouth with mine once more, pushing my tongue forcefully into her mouth and rocking back and forth into her heat. Her nails are clawing my shoulders as she tries to both push me away and bring me closer. Lifting my mouth from hers, I start to speak when the back door slams and SarahBeth goes rigid.
Excerpt #4
There’s a knock on my door that can’t be anyone but SarahBeth since we’re the only two in the house and I hesitate before answering it. Earlier this afternoon, things were fine, but after I picked her up from the party, she was quiet. She didn’t really talk to me on the ride home and it made me concerned that I’m pushing her too far, too fast.
When I finally do open the door, I stand there in shock. SarahBeth’s just outside the door, her hands clasped in front of her and her head down. She’s wearing a tiny little pair of pink pajamas, pajamas that make me want to do nothing but rip them off her. I have to clear my throat and attempt to calm down before I can say anything to her.
“Hey. I thought you were going to bed?”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m not ready for sleep yet.” She looks up at me, and the only thing I can think is that she looks fucking beautiful standing here in front of me. Her cheeks are flushed with embarrassment and what seem to be nerves, and she’s twisting her fingers as she speaks. “I’m sorry. I know I kind of ignored you on the way home, but I didn’t mean to.” Her eyes are watery, full of unshed tears and I can’t be upset with her.
“C’mere Little Bit,” I mutter, crushing her to my chest and holding her close.
Her tiny fists are trapped between us and I know she’d be gripping my shirt if I was wearing one, but I wasn’t lying when I said I was going to bed. “Can I stay in here with you?” she asks, her voice muffled against me.
I stiffen, because if she stays in here, with me, wearing that, there’s no way she’s leaving here in the morning without having been well and truly fucked. I only have so much control. With the way her voice shook from asking me, there’s also no way I can tell her no, so I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to think of anything but the feel of her warm skin under my hands and against my chest. It’s a losing battle, because it’s fucking SarahBeth. Pulling away from her, I look down and see that her eyes are clear and she’s staring up at me steadily. I know she wasn’t drunk when I picked her up, she wasn’t even tipsy, so it’s not alcohol making this decision for her. I nod, taking her hand and leading her over to my bed, gesturing for her to pick a side.
SarahBeth gets into my bed, sliding her toned legs under the covers and laying almost dead in the middle of my bed. Groaning inwardly, I slip in beside her wearing nothing but a pair of sleep pants, praying that the feel of her body next to me doesn’t drive me fucking crazy by morning. I’ve got to keep it together because I don’t know that she’s really ready for that particular step. It’s the reason I’ve never touched her bare skin or let her touch mine. I know that when we cross that boundary, all bets are off.
As soon as I lay down beside her, she moves closer, wrapping an arm around my waist and laying her head on my shoulder. I can feel her breath on my neck when she speaks, “Jeremy?”
“Mmhmm,” I murmur, closing my eyes and trying to will away the erection that will be against her leg any minute. She doesn’t say anything, but I can feel her move against me, prompting me to open them back up to find her kneeling next to me on the bed, looking down at me with her brow wrinkled in confusion. “What is it Sarah?”
She leans over to brush her mouth against mine and I go rigid. What the fuck is she doing right now? Putting her hands on my chest, she leans into me further and I put the arm that was underneath her around her waist to pull her closer to me. It’s almost a reflex because I can’t have her be this close to me and not touch her somehow. In this position, the back of her tank top has ridden up and my fingers are touching bare skin. I trace circles along her exposed skin as she deepens our kiss. This kiss is different than the ones we normally have. Instead of the normal consuming, can’t get enough of each other kisses, this one is slow and seems to say everything we haven’t said out loud.
Purchase the Series
Never Wanted More (Nashville Nights #0.5)
Save Me From Myself (Nashville Nights #1)
Everything I Shouldn’t (Nashville Nights #2)
About Stacey
Stacey is a wife, reader, author and mother to 3 boys, ages 15, 14, and 8 – not necessarily in that order! After spending the first half of her life in a small town outside of Philadelphia, PA, her parents moved to another small town in North Carolina. She married her husband after dating a total of three months and knowing each other for six! People thought they were crazy, but 2014 marks their 10 year anniversary, so it obviously worked out! She loves to read and can usually be found curled up with her iPad when she’s supposed to be writing or creating playlists on Spotify!
5 Enamoring Stars!
TITLE~ Everything I Shouldn't (Nashville Nights #2)
AUTHOR~ Stacey Mosteller
GENRE~ New Adult-Romance-Contemporary
PUBLISHED~ June 25th 2014
PURCHASED/COST~ ARC for Review
MY RATING~ 5/5
I chose to read this book because I was provided with an ARC for review. I also read and very much enjoyed the first book in the series.
Everything I Shouldn't had me completely captivated from the very beginning. In the first book in the Nashville Nights series, Save Me From Myself, we are introduced to the main characters of this book and the author gave us just enough of them to be intrigued by them. This second book in the series tells us a lot of the back story that we didn't get in the first book, as well as a bit of a continuation of that story line.
I don't have any major complaints about the writing or the story, except that it did end on a cliff-hanger. Right now, I'm chomping at the bit wanting to get my hands on the next one! I want it NOW!
Author, Stacey Mosteller, has done a great job with this series! I loved the first book, LOVED the second, and I bet I will love love love the 3rd even more! This series seems to get better as it goes!
Giveaway!
Thanks for the opportunity!
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